Debate rages over makeup of school snow days

In the same spirit as “tastes great, less filling,” a debate rages about how Michigan schools should make up snow days.

In case you’ve been on vacation in Australia the past two months, many state schools already face a dilemma or could if February and March continue to bring the record-breaking snowy and cold weather as did January.

State law requires students be in class for 1,098 hours of instruction time, or at least 170 days. Several schools already have reached their allotted six “snow days,” and officials fear they may lose even more.

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So the focus must soon shift to how to make up those days.

The options pretty much boil down to two:

• Increase the length of the school day by about 30 minutes;

• Extend the school year beyond the normal closing date in June.

Everybody, it seems, has an opinion.

In a story published on WLNS.com, Michael Flanagan, the state school superintendent said Michigan should follow the lead of Finland and extend the school year.

“Add days, not minutes,” Flanagan said. “They (Finland) are not doing this silly stuff about adding minutes a day. That’s not going to work.”

But in the same article, state Rep. Phil Potvin said schools should be allowed to extend the day to save money.

“The cost savings is all in transportation, running our buses one more time and having our people in school one extra day,” said Potvin.

The debate doesn’t end there. Those most affected weighed in via The Macomb Daily’s Facebook page, where opinion was similarly divided.

“It’s hard enough for parents during a regular day of scheduling work, school and after-school activities,” wrote Debbie Edwards Clouse. “Just add on at the end of the year.”

Amy Richards disagreed.

“A lot of families made plans those weeks,” she said.

Count Nancy Harmsen Radzitowksi among them.

“I have vacation planned the Monday after we get out of school,” she said. “I’m out of here and so are my kids.”

Many Facebook respondents suggested mid-winter or spring breaks simply be reduced. While that’s possible, each district negotiates its calendar with teachers, and opening up those contracts could create other problems.